Get by with a little help from your friends: what bridesmaid dresses will work for your big day?

We take a look at examples from Coast Stores to give you a few ideas

Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking. And on top of organising invites, venues, music and the like, there’s also the very significant question of what to wear.

It’s not just about getting your wedding dress right. Any bride will also tell you that sorting out gorgeous, tasteful bridesmaid dresses is also a serious task. After all, you’re essentially dressing some of your closest female friends – and advising friends on wardrobes can be difficult at the best of times.

And, if you want to be on-trend on top of all of this, then you’re definitely in for a long ride. But let us make it a little easier for you. We’ve been doing some research on some of the most well-reputed wedding outfitters and departments. And after visiting Coast Stores’ bridesmaids dresses section, we’ve come up with a few pointers.

1. Don’t be afraid of colour

Of course no bride wants to be upstaged, but bridesmaids’ dresses almost always look better when they’re in bright or at least engaging shades. This will make your wedding dress look cleaner and whiter. What’s more, as wedding dresses themselves are now becoming more experimental with shade, your bridesmaid colours can also be playful. An ivory wedding dress accompanied by jade and forest green bridesmaids is a stunning choice.

2. Keep it near the knee

Length is tricky with bridesmaid dresses, but Coast’s current collection hit a great hemline, usually hovering just above the knee – or, with less stiff fabric, floating just down towards the shin. This kind of length is a wonderful complement to the full floor-length wedding gown – and great for the reception after, as your bridesmaids will already be in dancing gear!

3. Live in the shade(s)

If you have more than one bridesmaid, then there is no defter way to create a gorgeous wedding palette – and keep all your friends happy and unique – than to pick one colour and then experiment with different shades and shapes for each dress. Coast’s deep-blue range is a great example.